Age Makes No Difference
by Goddess Trinity
Summary: When Sherry came home with Dell Conagher, Scout and Spy knew something was up.  Rating is T for now, but will go up in later chapters due to sexual content.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: I do not own any of the "Team Fortress 2" characters or locations. This is merely for entertainment purposes, and I am not looking to profit off of this piece of fiction. All characters/locations belong to Valve._

_I now present to you, "Age Makes No Difference"! I hope you all manage to enjoy it! _

_

* * *

_Dell Conagher thought that he was the luckiest man alive.

He had survived a rough childhood in Bee Cave, Texas, had obtained eleven hard science PhD's, and had managed to avoid getting killed during his entire time with Team Fortress.

Now he was proudly holding the arm of a beautiful young woman that he had met two years ago. And _oh_, how she had blossomed into a beauty.

When he had met her, she had been eighteen, and he had been twenty-six. She had been a child back then, but whenever she had been around him, either watching him build his machines or just eating in the cafeteria, she had always been warm and kind towards him, always intrigued with what he had been doing.

Dell wondered if it had been by chance that he had met her while he was admiring some art at the local art institute back in Texas. She had been attending that art institute, and he had been more than surprised that a vast majority of the paintings had been done by her.

The paintings had been beautiful, but not quite as beautiful as her.

Her brown hair, which had been chopped short, had grown down to her middle back, where it curled slightly at the end. Her blue eyes had not lost their shine, her teeth pearly white as she smiled at him. And the next thing he knew, he had asked her if she would like to have lunch with him, and she had said yes.

During lunch, she had asked him about the Fortress. He remembered that she had left two years ago due to a massive injury inflicted upon her by the RED Sniper (he hadn't respawned until a week later, thanks to the RED Spy), and he had been more than happy to fill her in on what had been happening.

When he asked her what she had been up to, Sherry had informed him that she was close to graduating her art school, and she had been paid quite a bit of money for her art at the art auctions.

When lunch had been finished, she asked if he would like to have dinner with her next week.

Dell, of course, said yes.

And before he knew it, they had been going out for six months. Six months of getting to know this woman, and he liked what he knew about her.

Even though he knew that she was the sister of the former Scout, he didn't mind this so much; he and Scout had been on good terms when he left, so he saw no reason to fret.

Then she had asked him the question: Would he like to come up to Boston with her to meet her family?

Dell had thought long and hard about what he should do, and it had only taken him about five minutes to answer her. He had told her that he would be most delighted, and then they were on a flight to Boston a week later.

He had been quite surprised when Sherry told him that she had just now told her family about him. She explained that she wanted to keep it hush-hush until the six month mark, and he was fine with that.

Of course, he was quite amused by the look on Scout's face when he saw him standing there in his house, and the former RED Spy had quickly dashed upstairs, no doubt going to get his balaclava to conceal his identity.

This was going to be fun.

* * *

"…Sherry, isn't dis guy a bit old for ya?" Scott blurted from across the table after several minutes of silence. Instead of her fork clattering onto the plate and her screeching at him, Sherry locked her blue eyes onto his.

"Scott, he's eight years older than me. That's not much of an age difference." She said calmly as she cut a piece of roast beef with her knife.

"Son, there ain't no problem with a twenty year old being with a twenty-eight year old. So long as there's love in the equation, what does it matter?" Dell asked as he placed a piece of roast beef into his mouth. He chewed it and mm'ed in satisfaction.

"I do say, Ma'am; your cookin' is on par with my Mama, and she's the best cook in Bee Cave." Dell complimented as he took another bite of roast beef. Helene fairly glowed as she put another slab of roast beef onto Dell's plate.

To Scott and Emile, Dell looked fairly odd without his hardhat, goggles, knee-pads and single glove. Dell had put on a pressed, clean blue plaid shirt underneath crisp, clean denim overalls. He still wore boots, but these were the nice kind; not those ones he always wore on the battlefield. He had shaved, but some stubble still appeared to give him that handsome, rugged look.

"So, uh…" Dell began, looking over at Emile. Clearly, he didn't know if he was supposed to call him Spy or something else, but he was saved when Sherry whispered to him, "Emile".

"Emile, how have you been? I heard you quit the RED's at the same time as Scou- er, Scott and Sherry." Dell said politely, almost calling Scott Scout. Emile merely sniffed as he took a sip of wine. He was obviously not going to answer, but neither Dell nor Sherry seemed to care.

"Mom, we hate to eat and run, but we need to get back to the hotel. It's late, but if it's alright, we can all go out for lunch tomorrow; my treat." Sherry said as she and Dell stood up from the table, Dell politely wiping his mouth off onto his napkin.

Scott and Emile both looked at each other as Sherry and Dell both walked out of the house, their looks saying the same exact thing,

"Time to investigate."


	2. Hotel Rooms and Fine Wine

_Author's Note: I do not own any of the "Team Fortress 2" characters or locations. This is merely for entertainment purposes, and I am not looking to profit off of this piece of fiction. All characters/locations belong to Valve. Sherry belongs to me._

_

* * *

_"Dell? Dell, honey, what are you doing?" Sherry called out from the hotel bathroom as she dried her hair off on a towel. She had decided to take a shower, and was now wondering what Dell was up to.

"Nothin', Darlin'. Just tryin' to see if there's anything on this television." Dell said as he sat in front of the television set, trying to find something to watch. Of course, seeing as how it was late in the evening, there was probably nothing on besides "The Brady Bunch".

Dell was not a television kind of man, but he hadn't thought to bring some of his science books to the hotel. Why he didn't, he would never know.

"Why don't you find a Western or something?" Sherry called out, her face hidden inside of the towel as she rubbed vigorously to get all the water out. Dell couldn't help but chuckle at her remark.

"Now that there is a stereotype, Missy." Dell chuckled as Sherry walked out of the bathroom, wearing a white mini sleep shirt. Her smile told him that she knew that he wasn't mad at her for the remark.

"I know. But you're just so calm about it, Mr. Conagher. That's one of the many reasons why I like you so much." Sherry said as she climbed into the bed next to Dell. Dell figured that he wouldn't find anything on television, so he decided to turn the damn thing off before he _really _got bored with it.

With a soft sigh, he crawled underneath the covers with Sherry, embracing her with strong arms and hands that were capable of building machines built to kill people. But she didn't seem to notice as she snuggled up to him, her slightly damp hair tickling his nose as he inhaled the gentle fragrance of her freshly washed hair.

"Aww, you're a real sweetheart, you know that?" Dell said as he planted a small kiss on her head, eliciting a small giggle from Sherry. She truly was a nice woman; always warm and kind, never having a mean thing to say about others.

"Yes, but it's a lot nicer to hear somebody tell me that I am a sweetheart." Sherry said as she snuggled closer to Dell. They lie there, silent for several minutes as they enjoy each other's company.

"So…Your step-dad seemed kinda standoffish to me, Sher. Is he always like that, or is it just because it's me?" Dell asked after several minutes of silence. Sherry couldn't help but give a small laugh.

"Nah, he's always like that whenever I mention another man in my life. I remember one time before the Halloween dance when I was seventeen, he made me pack a can of pepper spray for the guy that was taking me." Sherry smiled fondly at the memory; it was hard to believe that had been almost three years ago. She had been a child back then; the only things she had been worried about were boys, passing classes, and trying to fit in.

"Did you end up having to use it?" Dell questioned as he gently petted her brown hair. Sherry shook her head "no".

"No, I didn't. But I _did _find out later on that year that he had some really bad mental problems. Maybe he had an intuition, if you will." Sherry said, her blue eyes looking thoughtful as her eyebrows furrowed.

"I guess that I don't have any competition, then." Dell said, giving Sherry a kiss on her lips. The kiss itself was deep and passionate as she kissed him back.

It was then that a knock on the door interrupted them.

"Now what in the name of Sam Hill-?" Dell growled as he got up from the bed, Sherry grumbling a fair amount. Dell walked over to the door, wearing nothing but a clean blue t-shirt and boxers.

"Who is it?" He said harshly as he looked through the peephole in the door.

"Housekeeping." A voice called out from behind the door. Dell's eyebrows furrowed, as did Sherry's.

"At this time of night? Look, why don't y'all come back tomorrow after we leave? It's late, and we're tryin' to sleep!" Dell said, rubbing his fingers onto his temples.

"The Manager wants to give you a complimentary bottle of wine." The voice insisted, telling both Dell and Sherry that they weren't leaving until they got inside.

"Gah, fine. But make it quick, y'hear?" Dell grumbled as he unlocked the door. There stood a hotel maid, dressed in a plain red dress as she held a bottle of fine wine in her hands.

"Compliments of the hotel Manager." She said, her voice carrying a distinct accent that Sherry could have sworn she had heard a million times, yet couldn't place her finger on it. Dell hastily took the bottle of wine from the maid, and proceeded to push her out of the room. Before closing the door, however, he made sure to hang the, "DO NOT DISTURB" sign on the doorknob before slamming it in her face.

"Well, I know you ain't old enough to drink yet, but I don't suppose you'd say no to one glass, would you?" Dell said, giving the wine bottle a light jiggle.

"Please, I turn twenty-one next year; I don't think one drink would hurt." Sherry said as Dell uncorked the wine bottle with a loud "POP!"

* * *

"So, what did ya see?" Scott said as the maid ran to the back of the hotel. In an instant, red smoke filled the small area as Emile dropped the disguise, pulling off the paper mask.

"It seemed pretty tame in there; no sexual music, Sherry was dressed appropriately. But you never know; they could be…" Emile stated, Scott holding up both of his hands to silence him.

"Alright, I get it! So…Do ya think that he's just usin' her?" Scott asked as he leaned against the wall of the hotel. Emile sighed.

"I don't know yet; I'll have to dig further. But Scott; _if _it turns out that he's _not _using her, and if she finds out that we've been spying on them, Sherry will be most angry with us." Emile said as he lit a cigarette.

"It's a risk I'm willin' ta take."


	3. Talking and Chatting

_Author's Note: I do not own any of the "Team Fortress 2" characters or locations. This is merely for entertainment purposes, and I am not looking to profit off of this piece of fiction. All characters/locations belong to Valve. Sherry belongs to me._

_

* * *

_Scott hated to admit it, but from what he and Emile had seen, Dell had no intentions of using Sherry for her wealth or for various other things. But herein lays the problem: what was he using her for? If it wasn't her wealth, then what?

Maybe he _did _love her. But then again, Scott couldn't trust any men; not even Emile (although this was slowly waning) He could remember William…He had gotten his Mother pregnant with Sherry, and he hadn't even bothered to marry her when she told him. That douche-bag had simply told her that he couldn't deal with eight kids (Sherry hadn't been born yet) and was already in another relationship.

The woman that he had been seeing had been a total bitch; she had taken one look at Helene's large brood, and had decided that she was better than her because she had maintained her figure by not having kids, bluntly stating that she hated them.

And then when Sherry had been born, William wanted nothing to do with her; he pretended that she wasn't his, and had ignored her for the better part of her life. He was only interested in Sherry after she turned twelve, and even _that _was minimal.

Scott decided that he wasn't sure if Dell could be trusted or not.

* * *

"Mother, it's 1970; nobody does that anymore." Sherry stated patiently as she sipped at a cup of hot tea in the restaurant. Helene merely smiled as she gently buttered a slice of bread from the bread basket. It had been months since she had introduced Dell to her family, and Helene seemed to be adjusting well; she thought Dell was a charming man, and perfect for Sherry. She didn't even make any comments about the eight year age difference between the two.

"I know, Sweetie. I sometimes forget that you're twenty years old and I'm slowly becoming an old woman." Helene said gently as she took a bite of bread. Sherry couldn't help but smile at what her Mother's remark about her becoming an old woman.

"Mother, no matter what, you'll always be the Mommy who would make sure that I had grape jam and not jelly in my sandwiches for school. You're not old." Sherry said as cups of soup were placed down in front of them. The table was silent as both Mother and Daughter ate their soup, whetting their appetites long enough until the main course arrived.

"…So, how is Dell, honey? Have you two advanced any further in your relationship?" Helene asked innocently, almost _too _innocently. Sherry stared at her hard from across the table, a spoonful of creamy mushroom soup hovering in the air.

"…If you're implying sex, Mother, no we haven't had sex yet." Sherry said, irritation evident in her tone. Helene merely smiled as she dabbed at her mouth.

"I wasn't implying anything, Sweetie. Just remember, if he wants to do something, and you don't, you just…" Helene started, Sherry holding up both of her hands to silence her Mother.

"Mom, I get it! I don't need my own Mother giving me any tips for the bedroom!" Sherry said, her blue eyes ringed with annoyance.

Helene once again smiled as their meals came.

* * *

"And she asked me, well…She didn't exactly _ask, _but she subtly asked if we've had sex yet!" Sherry said over the phone once she had gone back to campus. She was going to graduate in two months, which would also be the one year anniversary to when Sherry and Dell had gone on their first date.

She didn't expect Dell to start chuckling over the phone. Thank goodness he couldn't see her face growing red.

"Darlin', is that all? Shoot, that's nothin' to be upset about! I wouldn't try anything unless you were ready." Dell reassured her over the phone, Sherry taking in his words. It was true; if she didn't feel like kissing him, then he wouldn't pressure her into one. If she wasn't in the mood to cuddle, then that was fine with him.

"I guess you're right. But it was still kind of awkward, you know?" She said softly over the phone.

"That's understandable, Sherry. I remember when my Mama gave me the talk when I was a teenager; my face was right red, it was." Dell said, understanding in his voice. Sherry smiled on her end, wishing that he was there with her right now.

"Hey, are you going to come to my graduation in January?" Sherry asked, the thought escaping her mouth. She had forgotten to ask him probably about a million times, and she wasn't going to forget it now.

"Of course! Shoot, I even had it cleared up with the Administrator!" Dell said cheerfully on his end, and Sherry could hear the telltale sounds of him rummaging through the refrigerator, looking for something to eat.

"That's cool! I can't wait to see you again! Too bad the Fortress won't let you guys come home for Christmas; I would have had you stay with me." Sherry said, her voice sounding slightly sad at the last part.

"Yeah, the Administrator got a bug up her panties this year; thinks that bein' away from family will make us fight harder." Dell said with sympathy. He truly did miss Sherry when he was away fighting in the Fortress; sometimes, he wondered if it was worth it. But when he saw how many zeros were on his paycheck, the thought would fly out of his head faster than his Sentry blasting an opposing RED member.

"I promise ya that I'll be there, rootin' and hollerin' for ya." Dell promised, his mouth sounding full of food; he must have found something to eat. Sherry laughed softly from the way he sounded over the phone.

"Alright, I've got to let you go; I've got to study and go to sleep. I'll call you next week, Honey." Sherry said, twirling the phone cord in her fingers.

"Alright, I'll speak to ya later, Sweetheart. Sleep good, and I love ya." Dell said, and before Sherry could say anything else, he had hung up the phone.

"…Did he just say that he…?" She said to herself, flopping onto the bed with a long sigh.

She didn't feel like studying anymore.


	4. A Not So Merry Christmas

_Author's Note: I do not own any of the "Team Fortress 2" characters or locations. This is merely for entertainment purposes, and I am not looking to profit off of this piece of fiction. All characters/locations belong to Valve. Sherry belongs to me._

_Also, the rating will now go up to "M" for mature language and sexual themes.  
_

_

* * *

_Emile heaved a heavy sigh as he watched Sherry and Dell exit the restaurant one evening in December. It had been snowing that evening, and Emile had almost decided to stop spying for just one evening simply because it was too damn cold to stand outside of the restaurant, watching them through the window with his cloaking on.

He had been more than grateful when they exited, Sherry laughing merrily at a joke Dell had said, her breath rising from her mouth in the cold air. Dell merely smiled that charming smile at Sherry as he slung an arm around her shoulders, Sherry snuggling to him closer as they walked through the Christmas decorated town.

Christmas was next week, and Sherry had promised her Mother that she would be coming home for Christmas, but she would be coming without Dell (since he was still part of Team Fortress). Helene didn't seem to mind too much; all that mattered was that Sherry was coming home to spend the holidays with her family.

"So, what did ya find out?" Scott said as he sauntered up to Emile, clutching a cup of hot cocoa and a hot dog. When he offered some to Emile, he merely shook his head.

"So far, nothing. I don't know, Scott; maybe he isn't up to anything. We've been watching them for months now, and nothing has turned up. I think we should just call it quits while we have a chance." Emile said as he lit a cigarette, embracing the few seconds of warmth that he received from the lighter. Scott gave him a look of utter contempt, almost as if he didn't believe a single word he had just said.

"Dat's it? We're just supposta believe that Engineer is up to nothin'? You must be gettin' old or somethin', cause your spying skills suck ice!" Scott said in a rather uncomfortably loud voice, prompting Emile to gesture at him to keep his voice down. He could have sworn he saw Sherry look back behind herself, an eyebrow raised as her blue eyes scanned the area. Emile couldn't hear what Dell had asked her, but he saw her shake her head and continue walking down the sidewalk with Dell.

"Stupide! We almost got caught! Ah, this is getting to be gênant; we are playing with fire, and we are going to get burned if we keep this up." Emile warned Scott, rubbing his temples. At least his red balaclava kept his head warm…

"…They're goin' into a store." Scott said, his eyes watching Sherry and Dell intently. Indeed, Emile saw both Dell and Sherry walk into a brightly lit store. Before Emile could stop him, Scott bolted towards the store, wrapping his coat around himself tighter.

"Imbécile! Revenez!" Emile hissed as he chased after Scott, his shoes crunching the snow lightly. Making sure that his cloaking watch was fully charged, he switched it on and followed Scott into the store.

"Scott! Scott, where are you?" He whispered, looking around the crowded store. The store was fit to bursting, the sounds of Christmas music filling his ears and the smells of cinnamon and pine needles filling his nose.

"Hey! You think Mother would like this for Christmas?" He heard Sherry ask Dell, and he watched as Sherry held up a small crystal bowl, which was beautifully cut. Emile knew that she would love it; he didn't dare say a word, though.

"I reckon so. Want to wrap it up?" Dell asked, his voice muffled slightly due to the mass amount of customers in the store. Sherry's answer was lost, but he watched as she took it to the counter to have it gift-wrapped.

"Scott's so hard to shop for; I never know what he wants." Sherry said as she and Dell walked around the store, looking at all of the wares the store had to offer while they waited for the crystal bowl to be wrapped. Where the Hell was Scott?

"Well, you could always jus' get him a hat." Dell suggested, looking at the racks of hats. Sherry, with scrutinizing eyes, looked at the racks, and her face brightened up when she saw a hat.

"This one! It's perfect!" Sherry exclaimed, holding up a handsome knit black hat. She eagerly ran back to the counter, only stopping to pick something up on the way, taking both of the items to have them wrapped.

"Dell, what do you want?" Sherry asked, her blue eyes looking into his. Dell looked like he was pondering what his answer was, but it came just seconds later as he looked down at her with a soft smile.

"Just bein' with you is all I need, Darlin'." Dell said as he placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Emile couldn't help but feel the small smile tug at his lips; Sherry was truly happy.

He watched as Sherry wrapped her arms around Dell's shoulders, embracing him into a hug. It would have been a tender moment, if Scott had stayed out of Sherry's sight.

Before he could tug Scott away, hopefully passing some of his invisibility onto him, Sherry's eyes widened, and she pulled away from Dell abruptly. Her face looked like she had just seen a zombie walking around.

"S-Scott?" Sherry squeaked, her blue eyes wide and filled with disbelief as she stared at Scott. Scott looked at her, his look sheepish and filled with guilt.

"Hey, Sher." He said sheepishly as he tucked his hands into the pockets of his jacket. Emile figured that he would take his share of the blame for the inevitable storm that was about to strike, and he took off his cloaking.

For several seconds, Sherry just stood there, trembling and with her eyes wide. Then, her face started to grow red, her breathing getting faster and faster as her eyebrows furrowed with anger.

Then, without a word, she stormed out of the store, leaving Dell, Emile, and Scott in the store.

"Sherry, wait!" Scott yelled as he followed her out of the store, ignoring the stares of their fellow customers. Emile followed as well, just in time to see Scott grab a hold of Sherry's wrist, only for her to yank it back angrily.

"Scott, what the _fuck _are you and Emile doing here?" Sherry fairly screeched at him, her face dark red with fury as she glared at the two of them.

"Sherry, it is not what you think…" Emile began, Sherry holding up her hands to silence him.

"Shut up! What the _Hell _were you two doing? Why the _fuck _were you spying on me?" Sherry said with fury in her voice, her fists clenched.

"Well, we thought dat Engineer was just usin' ya, and…" Scott began, Sherry cutting him off this time.

"Wait, wait, wait one fucking minute! You two thought that Dell was…Oh my _God_!" Sherry bellowed, causing people to stare as they walked past them. Scott visibly winced as Sherry glared at the two of them, her eyes filled with fury and, possibly, hatred.

"I can't believe you two! How _dare _you spy on me! You, of all people, Scott, should _know _what it's like to have somebody spying on you! I'm twenty, almost twenty-one, and you all are treating me like I'm a baby! I can make my own decisions! And I'll tell you right here and now that Dell would never ever _ever _hurt me or use me!" Sherry yelled as Dell came out of the store, carrying a paper shopping bag with the gift-wrapped items inside of it.

"I was just trying to help, Sherry!" Scott yelled back, although it was pathetically weak compared to Sherry's own furious yell.

"Oh, you want to help? _You want to help? _Well, you can help now by staying out of my _life_! Both of you! Don't come to my graduation next month, and tell Mom that I won't be coming home for Christmas!" Sherry screamed. She suddenly grabbed two of the packages out of the bag, throwing them at Scott and Emile.

"Here! Merry _fucking _Christmas!" Sherry yelled, storming off as the two packages fell to the snow-covered ground. Neither Scott nor Emile made a move to grab them; they both just stood as still as statues, their faces filled with shame.

"Well, I'll tell y'all that you're both in a big heapa trouble with Sherry. I've never seen her that mad before, and I doubt that she'll forget it so soon. And ya know what? I don't blame her one bit. Y'all deserve this; you had it comin' when you didn't trust me." Dell said as he took the remaining package with him, running down the sidewalk to catch up with Sherry.

Scott sadly leaned down and picked up the packages, silently walking the opposite way.

He only paused long enough to watch Dell holding a sobbing Sherry, and it pained him.

"Let's go." He mumbled to Emile, who, for once in his life, obeyed somebody much younger than him.

* * *

_Translations are as follows: _

_Stupide: Stupid_

_gênant: troublesome_

_Imbécile! Revenez! : Idiot! Come back!_


	5. Startling News

_Author's Note: I do not own any of the "Team Fortress 2" characters or locations. This is merely for entertainment purposes, and I am not looking to profit off of this piece of fiction. All characters/locations belong to Valve. Sherry belongs to me._

_Mind you, this chapter may not be work-safe, and is intended for mature audiences only._

_

* * *

_"Aw, congratulations, Sherry!" Dell said once they got back to Sherry's dorm room, their faces rosy and pink from the cold January weather. Sherry smiled at Dell as she hung their coats up on the hook, Dell sitting down on her bed.

"Thanks, honey." She said as she sat down on the bed next to him. It was pretty much the only thing that remained un-packed in the room; she had rented an apartment and would be moving out next week.

"You okay? You seem distracted." Dell said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. At first, she didn't look at him, for she was pondering an answer; was she distracted? Maybe she was; maybe it was because only her Mother had shown up, Scott and Emile not bothering to show up.

Sherry was still mad at them, oh yes she was. They had spied on her, and it wasn't necessary to spy on her; she was an adult woman who could make her own decisions. What made her even angrier than the spying was the fact that they didn't trust Dell or her judgment on the matter; they just automatically assumed that Dell was after her wealth or was just using her.

But did she _really _want them out of her life completely? Maybe not, but it wouldn't hurt her chances of wanting to see them ever again.

"I'm fine." Sherry answered, giving Dell a smile. At least she had two reasons to be smiling tonight; she had just graduated and it was hers and Dell's anniversary.

The two had officially been going out for a year now.

"Are you sure? Because y'all was actin' kinda strange for a while." Dell mentioned as he gave her shoulder a light squeeze.

"I promise; I'm fine. Now, how are you?" Sherry asked, giving him another smile. Dell gave a very soft chuckle as he stroked her chin with his free hand, bringing her face closer to his.

"I'm all fine now that you're in my arms again." He murmured as he placed her lips against his, giving her a deep and passionate kiss.

"I missed you, Dell…" Sherry murmured as she rested her forehead against his, looking into his blue eyes.

"I missed you too, Darlin'. More than you know." Dell said as he once more kissed Sherry on her lips. Her mind was numb as she felt Dell's hands begin to explore, rubbing her arms and her back. Part of her wanted to explore and feel him too, but her brain was instantly liquefied as he kissed her neck, causing her to arch into him.

"D-Dell…" she groaned softly as she felt his callused hands reaching underneath her blouse, touching and feeling and exploring her skin. Sherry moaned as she too reached inside of his crisp, blue shirt, feeling his chest and slight pudge on his abdomen. He wasn't fat, but he wasn't rail-thin like her.

Whatever she was going to say fled her mind as he gently nipped her neck, causing her to squeak. Her fingers dug into his chest, and Dell moaned softly at her touch.

"Sherry, if ya don't want to…" Dell whispered against her lips as Sherry began to unbuckle his belt and unzip his jeans.

"I want this." She said simply as she allowed pleasure to take over.

* * *

_Two months later…_

Sherry couldn't figure out why it was, but she couldn't help but feel that she was rather distracted and had a hard time thinking.

That or it was because she had finally caught that goddamn stomach flu that was going around. Everyone in the apartment she lived at had caught it, and now she fucking had it too.

She had been up at odd hours of the night, puking her guts out, even if she hadn't eaten anything. What was worse was that there was nobody around to comfort or take care of her. She was on her own.

Deciding that enough was enough, Sherry managed to bundle up in the still chilly March weather and walk over to the corner drugstore to see if they had anything to stop the vomiting.

_They better damn well have something; it's 1971, for Pete's Sake_ She thought dismally as she stepped off the curb, her mind elsewhere as she walked across the street.

The sound of a truck horn blared, and before Sherry could see where the sound was coming from, her body was filled with intense pain, and she felt herself go flying.

She couldn't hear, she couldn't see, she couldn't speak, her World grew dark, and she knew no more.

With a loud and sickening "thud", Sherry landed twenty feet away from where the truck had struck her. People on the sidewalks screamed as the truck-driver jumped out of his truck, dashing over to where Sherry lie, motionless and silent.

"Oh my God! Call 911!" The truck driver screamed as a crowd of people gathered around the body of the young woman who had stepped off of the curb when the "DON'T WALK" sign had been lit.

People buzzed and several of them ran into nearby stores to call for an ambulance, the truck driver kneeling before the woman and crying.

"Why did she do that? I didn't mean to hit her, I swear!" He sobbed as people ran around and traffic was diverted.

However, everyone screamed when her body began to fizzle, disappearing with a sound like thunder clapping and a bright light.

She had disappeared.

* * *

Sherry awoke with a pounding headache to the sounds of muffled voices. She was lying on her back, her arms next to her sides and her legs straight out.

"Oh! Sshs awwk!" a familiar muffled voice said as Sherry opened her eyes. She was met with a glowing light as a rubber-gloved hand wrenched up an eyelid. She protested, shaking her head in an attempt to free her head.

"Hold still, bitte. Vatch zis light; follow it." A German voice said, and Sherry obediently followed the light with her eyes, the German hmm-ing and humming.

"It's been a vhile, Recruit." Said the voice, and Sherry's eyes fully snapped open. She was face-to-face with…

"Medic?" Sherry exclaimed, sitting up on the infirmary bed. Indeed, she was facing the BLU Medic, a small but grim smile on his face. It had been two years since she had seen him, so why was he standing there in front of her?

"It's good to know zat you still remember me, Fräulein." Medic said as Pyro hovered near him, their eyes unseen.

"Izz ssh okk, dcc?" Pyro mumbled as they fidgeted lightly on the spot, Sherry rubbing her head in confusion.

"Ja, Pyro. Please leave; I must take some blood and urine samples for…" Medic began, Sherry holding up a hand to stop him.

"Wait a minute; first off, how did I get here?" Sherry said as Pyro shuffled out of the infirmary, a room Sherry was all too familiar with. Medic gave a small sigh and pushed his glasses further up his face.

"Obviously, your body hasn't expelled ze Respawn chip zat I put into you vhen you first came here, vhich I find very odd indeed. It should have expelled itself from your body vhen you left ze area." Medic explained as he pulled out a plastic cup from a cabinet, handing it to Sherry.

"Urinate into ze cup, bitte; I shall take a Blutprobe vhen you are finished." Medic said as Sherry got up from the bed, staring at Medic.

"…Why do you need this, may I dare ask?" Sherry asked, her eyebrows raised in confusion. Medic merely looked in her direction, giving her a grim smile.

"Because, sometimes ze Respawn Unit malfunctions, und sometimes, one vill be missing a body part or vital organ. It is just to make sure, Fräulein." Medic said, Sherry's heart dropping into her stomach.

"You mean to tell me that…I could be missing something out of my own _body_?" She squeaked softly as she clutched the plastic cup.

"Mach dir keine Sorgen; about seventy percent of our team members come back with everything intact." Medic reassured as he sat down at his desk. Sherry knew better than to argue with him, and thus, proceeded into the bathroom.

* * *

Hours upon endless hours of waiting in the infirmary while Medic went into the backroom to do her blood and urine tests made Sherry want to rip her hair out in frustration. She had asked where Engineer was, Medic informing her that he had gone to see his Mother and wouldn't be back until next week.

This only fueled her anxiety.

"Fräulein, I have your results back, Ja?" Medic called out, Sherry bolting from her spot on the infirmary bed and running over to him.

"Come on, Doc! What's the matter with me?" Sherry asked, not bothering to hide the anxiety in her voice.

"Vell, zere is very good news for you; all of your organs are present und vorking fine. However, your blood and urine samples told me somezhing very interesting…" Medic continued, Sherry cutting him off with a loud moan.

"Oh God, what is it? Did I grow another stomach? Do I have four kidneys? What is it, Doctor?" Sherry groaned, feeling sick to her stomach as she clutched her head in fear.

"Nein, nozhing like zat, Fräulein. To simply put it; Sie schwanger sind." Medic said, a small smile on his face.

"In English, Doctor!" Sherry moaned. Medic cleared his throat before speaking right into her face.

"You're pregnant."


	6. A Look Inside

_Author's Note: I do not own any of the "Team Fortress 2" characters or locations. This is merely for entertainment purposes, and I am not looking to profit off of this piece of fiction. All characters/locations belong to Valve. Sherry belongs to me._

_

* * *

_"…Excuse me?" Sherry asked, lowering her eyebrows at Medic, her blue eyes filled with either disbelief, shock, or a mixture of the two. Medic didn't seem to notice this sudden change of Sherry's behavior.

"Vat, are you deaf now? I said you are pregnant; plain und simple." Medic chastised lightly as if he told people that they had a life-altering person growing inside of them every single day. At first, Sherry was completely still and silent. And then…

"…This can't be. Y-you can't get pregnant the first time!" Sherry squeaked, feeling her heart begin to race faster and faster, sweat beginning to prickle on her back underneath her blouse.

"Gah, dumme Lügen just so zat young people can have sex and not bother to think about ze consequences of not using protection…No, Fräulein, you can very much indeed get pregnant ze first time. Just because you haven't had intercourse before doesn't mean zat you are safe from it." Medic explained, his tone annoyed and slightly sympathetic.

"…Oh _no_…" Sherry moaned as she put her head into her hands, trying to stop the panic from seizing her completely. _Pregnant…Pregnant…I'm pregnant…_

_**With Dell's baby.**_

"But I digress; ve must get an Ultraschall to make sure zat it is alright. Ve haven't tested ze Respawn Unit on pregnant vomen, und I don't know if it has been harmed in ze process or not. Come over here, bitte." Medic commanded, getting up from his desk and walking over to a frightening looking device. Sherry hesitated; the device didn't look very friendly, for she had never seen one like it before in her entire life.

"Vhat are you vaiting for? Get over here!" Medic commanded, pointing to the small examination table, covered with paper to keep the leather clean from foreign contaminants. Figuring that she had best obey Medic before she further upset him, Sherry obediently sat down on the table, the paper crinkling beneath her as Medic turned on the strange machine.

"…What is that thing?" Sherry asked at long last as Medic fiddled around with some of the buttons on the machine. He didn't look over at her as he answered, turning a dial on the front.

"It's an ultrasound machine, Fräulein. It's still fairly new technology, but it's quite reliable here on ze battlefield. Ze enemy Medic likes to kidnap our team member's und put foreign objects like bombs inside of zem. Sooo…I use this to find out just vhat is inside of zem. It's harmless." Medic explained as he turned another knob. At least it didn't hurt.

"Lie back, bitte, und lift your shirt." Medic commanded, and when Sherry didn't lie down fast enough to Medic's liking, he firmly, but gently, pushed her down onto the table, the paper crinkling loudly in her ears. Without further prompting, Sherry lifted her shirt, grimacing at the feel of Medic's hand rubbing medical gel onto her exposed abdomen.

_It's Dell's baby_

_It's Dell's baby_

_It's Dell's baby_

It was all she could think of as Medic placed the remote onto her abdomen, moving it around while muttering words in German. It seemed like forever that she lie like that, just waiting to hear what Medic had to say.

"Ah, zhere you are! Hmm…" Medic exclaimed as he looked at the small screen that Sherry couldn't see.

"Zhere doesn't seem to be anyzhing wrong vith it. It's qvuite healthy, and from ze looks of it, you are roughly three months along; don't qvuote me on it, though." Medic said as he continued to look at the screen. For some stupid reason, Sherry wanted to cry as relief swept over her like a tide.

"I-is it a boy or a g-girl?" She stuttered out, not wanting to look at the screen.

"I cannot tell you that; it's too early. Right now, it's about ze size of an Erdbeere; a strawberry. It's not that big yet, und I cannot get a clear picture of it. However, somezhing interesting is going on vith it; it has fingerprints right now, it's swallowing und kicking, but you cannot feel it yet, und it's most likely begun getting hiccups. Vould you like to see it?" Medic asked, and before she could reason with herself, Sherry nodded silently. With another word, Medic swiveled the screen over so that she could see what was displayed.

On the fuzzy screen, Sherry could just make out the faint outline of what appeared to be a baby's head.

"…Why don't I look pregnant?" She asked after a moment.

"Most likely because you are so mager; in thin women, it can take a vhile for any signs to show up. For starters, you should not do any heavy lifting; it can really hurt ze both of you. Have a diet high in dark green leafy vegetables, und have lots of healthy meals filled vith proteins und vitamins. You vill be needing extra sleep, Ja? Remember, you are building anotzha human being, und rest is vhat you need most. You vill most likely be feeling very tired, but zhat is to be expected; your body is vorking several times harder zhan you are used to." Medic explained as he turned off the machine, handing Sherry a small towel to wipe herself off.

"Do you mind in my asking in who ze Vater is?" Medic asked as Sherry wiped her stomach off, a deep frown on her face. She froze for a moment, her body going rigid when Medic asked her the dreaded question.

"…Engineer." She said, knowing full well that Medic would have no idea that Dell and Engineer were the same exact people. She expected Medic to start ranting or acting surprised that Dell was the Father of her child.

He merely raised an eyebrow, his icy blue eyes observing her, almost looking like he didn't believe her. He said nothing, however, as he scribbled something down on a small pad of paper.

"Here is a list of prenatal vitamins zhat you can take, Fräulein. I suggest zhat you find yourself a proper Geburtshelfer vonce you get back home. Ze train arrives tomorrow, und it vill take you back home." Medic said, handing Sherry the small piece of paper with his neat and immaculate handwriting. Sherry sat there for several moments as Medic put the machine back, changing his gloves. Just before leaving the infirmary, however, Medic turned around and looked at the distressed young woman, giving her a small smile.

"Oh, und congratulations." He said as he left the room, eliciting a groan from Sherry.

* * *

_Translations are as follows:_

_dumme Lügen: stupid lies_

_Ultraschall: Ultrasound_

_Erdbeere: strawberry_

_Mager: Lean or skinny_

_Vater: Father_

_Geburtshelfer: Obstetrician_


	7. Let It All Spill

_Author's Note: I do not own any of the "Team Fortress 2" characters or locations. This is merely for entertainment purposes, and I am not looking to profit off of this piece of fiction. All characters/locations belong to Valve. Sherry belongs to me._

_

* * *

_Emile didn't expect to hear the phone ringing so late in the afternoon. Generally, nobody ever really called this late in the day, unless they were a telemarketer wanting to interrupt a family meal or just be pests and want to sell something.

He made a mental note to hang up right away if the caller started off with the words, "Hello, Sir".

Quite reluctantly, Emile picked the phone up after the third ring, putting the receiver up to his ear.

"Hello?" He spoke into the mouthpiece, expecting the caller to speak the words that indicated they were a telemarketer.

Emile was very surprised indeed to hear a voice that he hadn't heard since December.

"Emile? Is that you?" Sherry said on her end. Her voice sounded strange to him. In fact, it sounded like it was mixed with strain, sadness, and excitement.

It worried him.

"Sherry? It's me, Emile. Sherry, what is the matter? You don't sound so well." Emile said, not bothering to get into tiny chit-chat with his step-daughter. Something was clearly on her mind, and he wanted her to tell him right away and to not delay the inevitable.

"Are Mom and Scott home?" Sherry asked, her voice sounding weak and strained. What was wrong with her?

"No, they are at the store, but I expect that they'll be back at any moment. What is wrong?" He asked once more, his heart pounding slightly. It was obviously big if she was calling them; she hadn't spoken to them since December, for she had been most furious with them for spying on her and Dell.

She sighed on her end, and he could have sworn that he heard her gulp deeply. She was silent for a few moments before whispering something inaudible.

"I didn't catch that, amoureux. Speak louder, please." Emile said, now feeling extremely nervous. Sherry gave a wavering sigh on her end before speaking more clearly.

"I'm pregnant." She said weakly, giving a sad sigh. Emile almost dropped the phone when he heard those two words come out of her mouth. He heard the front door swing open, the voices of Helene and Scott oozing to his ears, but he ignored them.

"You're pregnant?" He repeated as Helene and Scott entered the kitchen, placing paper bags onto the counter.

"Who's pregnant, Darling? Who are you talking to?" Helene asked, acting like she was asking about the weather. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Scott stop, listening intently.

"You might as well tell them, Emile. They'll find out sooner or later when I'm as big as a house." Sherry said weakly, sounding like she was going to cry. Emile couldn't argue with that statement; Helene had already heard him say it.

"…Sherry is." He said quietly. At that moment, Helene had been holding a jar of olives. Once the words left his mouth, the jar seemed to slip out of her hands, crashing to the floor with a loud, shattering sound, splashing olives and the liquid all over the linoleum floor. Her eyes were wide. Before he could say anything else, Scott grabbed the phone out of Emile's hand, bringing it up to his ear.

"Sher, where is he? I'm gonna kill that son of a b…" Scott began, Helene seizing the phone out of his hand.

"Scott! Watch your mouth!" Helene said loudly as she calmly brought the phone up to her own ear.

"Sherry, honey, are you sure?" Helene said calmly, despite that her hands were shaking, her eyes wide. She ignored the spilled olives and broken jar on the floor, prompting Emile and Scott to begin cleaning it up.

"I'm one-hundred and fifty percent sure, Mom. I'm due sometime in October. And before you ask, it's Dell's. Dell is the Father." Sherry said as Scott scooped up olives in a paper towel, throwing them into a garbage can. He and Emile strained to hear what was being said.

"Mom, I don't know what to do! What if I tell him? What if he leaves me because I told him?" Sherry wailed on her end.

"Sweetie, calm down. First off, you _do _need to tell him; he has a right to know, since it's his baby. You two need to talk it over. Honey, I honestly don't think he's going to leave you; that man clearly loves you." Helene said, hiding the worry in her voice quite well. Emile had to give her credit as he mopped up the liquid from the olives with a paper towel.

"And what if he leaves me? What am I going to do?" She wailed out loud enough for the two men to hear it. Helene rubbed her temples, closing her eyes.

"Honey, don't dwell on the "what if's" until it happens. And if he does…We'll figure something out. I promise. I need you to calm down, sweetie. It will be okay." Helene said with the air of experience. Emile understood; Helene had had Sherry out of wedlock.

And as far as he was concerned, she and Dell were not married.

The rest of their conversation was lost, and after a while, Helene had hung up the phone.

"She's going to tell Dell that's she's pregnant tomorrow. She'll call us when they've talked it over." Helene said as she began to put away groceries. Scott gave an angry sort of sigh, and then proceeded to punch the refrigerator.

"Scott!" Helene gasped out, looking at the dent in the metal door of the refrigerator. Emile couldn't blame him for his anger; he too was feeling fairly angry with the situation.

"I _knew _we couldn't trust that bastard! He got Sherry knocked up, dammit!" Scott proclaimed as he began to pace the small kitchen.

"Well, punching my furniture isn't going to help, Scott! We need to keep calm for Sherry and support her, no matter what happens, and we cannot show that we're angry with Dell! That's the last thing she needs!" Helene scolded as she placed a loaf of bread onto the counter, acting like she was angry with it.

"Oh, I'll support her alright; by kicking the shit outta that guy!" Scott said as he continued pacing.

"Boy, if you dare lay a hand on Dell, Sherry will never forgive you for that. Like your Mother has said; we need to support Sherry. We can be mad at Dell for as long as we like, but it ultimately won't help Sherry if she knows." Emile said, keeping calm, despite pulling a cigarette out of its case.

Scott hated to admit it, but his Mother and Emile were right.

He promised not to kill Dell.

…Yet.


	8. What I Want to Tell You

_Author's Note: I do not own any of the "Team Fortress 2" characters or locations. This is merely for entertainment purposes, and I am not looking to profit off of this piece of fiction. All characters/locations belong to Valve. Sherry belongs to me._

_Also, I'm so sorry for not updating this as often as I should. As I explained in a review, college is keeping me very busy. I promise to update this more often since my break is coming up real soon, but fear not! I have not forgotten about this fic or about you guys! I'm just...So very tired. Not tired of this fic; just tired in general. I need sleep real bad. ._.  
_

"Sher? Honey, you feeling alright?" Dell asked as he walked into the living room, remembering to take his shoes off in her apartment. Sherry was sitting on the sofa, not looking up at him. Her eyes seemed cloudy and listless, and this worried Dell. She had called him last night and asked him to come to her apartment as soon as possible. But that was all that she had told him, and had hung up the phone before he could get in another word.

"Sherry, you're not looking so good. Are you sick?" Dell asked as he sat down on the sofa next to her. With a worried look, he placed a hand upon her forehead, trying to find any signs of fever or sickness. When he found none, he gently put an arm around her shoulders. She winced at his touched, almost like it hurt her for him to touch her.

"What's the matter, darlin'?" He asked once more, trying to get her to look at him. She did not, but she did finally utter something.

"Dell…I think I've ruined your life…" She whispered softly, her beautiful blue eyes filled with sadness and grief. Dell hated that look; her eyes were always filled with life and happiness, always shining and beautiful.

"What are you talking about? What did you do?" He asked, wondering if this was all a joke just to get him in the mood. But then again, the sadness in her tone was genuine; there was no way that she could fake that.

Sherry placed her hands upon her face, hiding her eyes as she spoke.

"Dell, I'm pregnant." She whispered sadly, the words slipping from her lips as a small sob emitted from her throat. Dell froze; had she said what he thought she had said?

"What did you say?" He whispered back, his arm not moving from its place on her shoulders.

"Oh Dell! Please don't hate me for this! I-I don't want to lose you! I don't want to give up the baby, and…Dell, I'm so sorry! I didn't think about what you wanted, and if you don't want it, then…Then it will never work out, because I do! I want this baby so much, it hurts!" Sherry sobbed out, her voice filled with grief as tears spilled down her face, her blue eyes looking right into his own stunned gray ones.

"Sherry…Why would you think that I would hate you for this?" Dell asked as Sherry sobbed. Upon his words, Sherry stopped sobbing long enough to look at him, tears still pouring from her eyes.

"W-what? Dell, I'm fucking pregnant _with your child_! We're not married, you're several years older than me, and-" Sherry began, but was silenced upon Dell placing his lips upon hers, giving her a kiss so passionate, it silenced her.

"Sherry, remember what I said before? "Age makes no difference, so long as there's love in the equation". Sherry, I may be eight years older than you, but I love you so much. So what does age have to do with it? And regarding this baby…" Dell began, Sherry breaking into another fit of sobbing.

"Oh, please Dell! Don't make me give it up! I want-" She began, but was silenced once more when he placed a finger upon her lips.

"Why would I give up my own flesh and blood, Sherry? I never can, and I never will. I would rather die than give up my own child." Dell said, and before she knew it, Dell was embracing her, resting her tear-stained cheek against his shoulder. She inhaled lightly, smelling _him_. It was such a comforting smell, and she couldn't help but let a few stray tears slide onto his shoulder.

"Sherry…I love you. I wanted to wait until a bit longer, but I think now would be an appropriate time." He said into her ear, pulling away and getting down onto the floor in front of her. Sherry almost started crying again when Dell took her hands into his, looking right up into her eyes.

"Sherry, will you marry me? Will you be Mrs. Sherry Conagher?" Dell asked, his gray eyes misting over slightly as he kissed both of her hands.

Without another word, but with plenty of sobbing, Sherry flung herself into Dell's arms, nodding furiously as tears stained his shirt.


	9. Then Comes Marriage

_Author's Note: I do not own any of the "Team Fortress 2" characters or locations. This is merely for entertainment purposes, and I am not looking to profit off of this piece of fiction. All characters/locations belong to Valve. Sherry belongs to me._

Sherry couldn't help but wipe a stray tear away from her face as she and Dell signed the marriage document. Not only was she hormonal, but she was getting married to the man that she truly loved!

Today, she would become Mrs. Sherry Conagher. And in a span of six or so months, there would be another Conagher joining them. A small Conagher, no doubt.

She looked over her shoulder at her Mother, Emile, all eight of her brothers (how they all fit into the room, she would never know) her nephew Albert, her sister-in-law Annette…

And Dell's Mother, Kate Conagher.

Kate Conagher was the complete opposite of her son; rail-thin, wispy black hair that went down to her waist, emerald eyes, and pouty lips. According to Dell, she had him at a very young age (sixteen, to be exact) and thus, she didn't look all that old. She looked fairly young for the age of forty-five, whereas Helene was fifty-seven years old and was (to both hers and Helene's dismay) starting to turn grey in her hair.

Kate was also a widow, Dell's Father having died while messing around with an invention in the garage. He had died when Dell was only fourteen, and it left his Mother devastated; she could not function on her own, leaving Dell to have to take care of her on his own.

Scott looked at the two of them, his face filled with slight scorn, but she knew that he wouldn't do anything to ruin her special day. It was the right thing to do, actually; they would be married and Sherry would not be shamed and called a multitude of nasty names. Their child would not be called a "bastard child", for they would have their Father in their life.

Sherry was so blissfully happy. She was getting married, her family supported her, Dell's family supported her, and she was finally able to enjoy being pregnant.

"I pronounce you two husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." The judge said, giving them both a smile. Sherry was elated; even the judge was being supportive. Without being told twice, Sherry planted her lips on Dell's, enjoying how warm they were. Her brothers, Annette, Mother, Emile, and Kate all clapped softly, and Sherry could have sworn that she heard her Mother sniffle loudly.

This was possibly the happiest day of her life.

* * *

"Oh, my baby! I'm so happy for you!" Helene exclaimed once they all walked out of city hall, embracing her only daughter tightly. Sherry couldn't help but let a small, yet happy, sob escape from her. Her wedding band, made of silver, shone brightly in the sunlight.

"Do you two have any plans on where you're going for a honeymoon?" Helene asked after several moments of hugging and happy crying. Sherry pulled away from her Mother, swiping her hand across her eyes to wipe away her tears.

"N-no…We're just staying home. I'm exhausted." Sherry said, Helene nodding in understanding.

"Not to worry; I'll be takin' plenty good care of her when we git home tonight!" Dell laughed, embracing Sherry tightly, breathing in the scent of her hair. Sherry gently closed her eyes; she was so happy. Nothing could ruin this for her. Nothing at all.

"Yeah? Well, ya better take care of her, or else me and the boys are goin' ta be kicking your a-" Scott began, Helene holding up a hand.

"Scott, mouth!" Helene reminded him, pointing to Albert, who was clutching onto Annette's hand. Sherry understood.

"That reminds me; we'll have to start a swear jar once the baby arrives." Sherry jokingly said to Dell, who laughed softly. Dell didn't swear often, but he did swear enough to warrant a swear jar.

"You should go home then; no need to make you more tired than necessary." Emile said, reaching for a cigarette by reflex, and then remembering that he was around a pregnant woman and a toddler.

"We will. We'll call you later." Dell said, leading Sherry away to an awaiting truck. His truck. Sherry always liked that truck with its gentle blue paintjob and comfortable seats.

"Dell, baby, if you need anythin', anythin' at all…You just give your Mama a telephone call, and I'll come right on over." Kate said as Dell climbed into the truck, Sherry already seated next to him. Dell leaned out of the window, giving his Mother a smile and a kiss on her cheek.

"Don't worry, Mama; I'm a grown man, and I'll take care of my woman." Dell said reassuringly to Kate. Kate gave him a kiss on his cheek and a pat on his shoulder.

"I know you'll do right by her, honey; you're just like your Daddy." Kate said, stepping away from the truck.

"Thanks, Mama. I love ya." Dell said as he started up the truck, the sound of the engine warming up soothing to Sherry's ears.

"I love you too, sweetie." Kate said as Dell pulled away from the curb, a few stray tears falling from Kate's eyes, staining her cheeks with mascara.

Helene was also doing the same. Both women couldn't believe that their babies were grown up and marrying each other.

"Dell…" Sherry whispered softly as she leaned her head against Dell's shoulder, listening to the soft country music playing over the radio.

"Yeah, Sherry?" Dell said, giving her a fond smile as he stopped at a red light.

"I love you so much. Thank you for making me the happiest woman alive." Sherry said as she kissed Dell on his lips.

Dell said nothing as the light turned green, a car honking behind them to remind them to keep traffic moving.

"I'm ready to start our life together. Just you, me, and the baby." Sherry said as Dell finally drove forward.

He couldn't wait, either.

* * *

Sherry had been cooking breakfast that morning in their new house, despite Dell's insistence that he do it for her. Sherry had simply told him that she wanted to just so that she wouldn't feel like a huge, useless lump, the lump being her belly.

She felt the baby kicking at her furiously, demanding its next meal. Sherry was exhausted, but she felt better about herself; at least she was doing something.

That's when she felt the slimy, warm wetness slide down her legs. Wondering just what the Hell was going on, she looked down and saw a puddle form right beneath her on the hardwood floor.

"D-Dell?" She called out, turning the stove off, silencing the sound of bacon sizzling in the frying pan. She felt most peculiar; it felt like she was having a bunch of pressure building up in her back.

"Yeah, honey?" Dell called out from the baby's nursery. He was busy setting up the furniture in the baby's room before it arrived. Sherry found she couldn't quite catch her breath as she leaned onto the counter.

"Dell, either I just involuntarily peed myself or…" Sherry paused, grasping at her belly as a wave of unknown pain slapped her like a wave crashing onto the shore of a beach.

"…Or? Or what, baby doll?" Dell asked, his voice hesitating as it got closer. He must have left the baby's room to see what it was that she was talking about.

"O-oooor…Dell, I think I'm going into labor!" Sherry fairly hissed as she grasped onto the counter tightly, sweat already beading up onto her forehead.

The third Conagher was on its way!


	10. A Life For A Life

_Author's Note: I do not own any of the "Team Fortress 2" characters or locations. This is merely for entertainment purposes, and I am not looking to profit off of this piece of fiction. All characters/locations belong to Valve. Sherry belongs to me._

Dell wanted to go into the room where his wife was giving birth to their child as he listened to her screaming in agony, but knew that if he attempted to do so, he would just be thrown out instantly. Men weren't allowed in the delivery room, and it made him want to punch a wall in frustration.

"Dell, honey, settle down. Sherry will be just fine. She'll get upset if you worry about her too much." Helene lightly chastised Dell as she sat on a chair outside the room, knitting a white baby cap out of soft yarn. She spoke with experience, but it didn't ease his nerves one bit; he was about to become a Father for the first time in his life. How could he settle down?

"Have you two thought of a name for it?" Emile asked as he absentmindedly leafed through a magazine. Obviously, they were trying to keep his mind off of the fact that Sherry was screaming in pain.

"Uh…She said she wanted the name Jenny for a girl, and…She wanted to name it Dell Junior if it's a boy." He said, running a shaking hand across his shining dome. His Mother, Kate, hadn't been able to make it to Boston yet, but she was on her way from Texas to see her first grandchild.

"Oh, I just love babies! Why do you think I had nine of my own?" Helene gushed, almost dropping the knitting onto the floor. Dell could have sworn that he heard Emile stifle a chuckle. Dell was amazed that Scott hadn't shown up yet; where was he?

Suddenly, the three people fell silent in the hall as the sound of a newborn crying filled the occupied room. Dell gave a shaky laugh, his gray eyes threatening to fill with tears. He was a Father!

But the joy was short-lived; sounds of panic and chaos filled the room. Dell, without another thought, swung the door open, looking inside.

Instantly, he wished he hadn't.

There was Sherry, lying on the bed, a pool of blood between her legs. Her eyes were shut, her hair damp and dark with sweat.

She wasn't moving. She wasn't doing _anything_.

"Mister Conagher! You're not supposed to be in here!" A nurse scolded, attempting to shove the Texan out of the room. On the other side of the room, he could hear the cries of the child he had yet to meet.

"Sherry? What's wrong with Sherry? What's wrong with my wife?" Dell hollered, the nurse shoving at him fruitlessly as doctors gathered around Sherry, blocking his view.

"Mister Conagher, you need to leave! Now!" The nurse insisted, finally shoving the man out of the room, closing and locking the door to prevent further interruptions. Dell pounded on the door for a few seconds before realizing that he would not get an answer.

"Something's wrong with Sherry. They wouldn't let me see her." Dell whispered as the fearful faces of Helene and Emile stared at him. With no other choice, Dell sat down on the chair, putting his face into his hands.

He tried his damndest not to cry.

* * *

"Mister Conagher?" A soft voice spoke, causing Dell to quickly bring his head up out of his hands. He'd been that way for over two hours; he hadn't moved a muscle. Helene and Emile were nowhere to be found; had they gone home?

It was the doctor who had checked up on Sherry when she started her labor. Dell didn't like the look on his face.

"Where's Sherry? Is she alright? What's happened to my wife?" Dell said, springing up and seizing the doctor by the collar of his crisp blue shirt. The doctor was silent for a few seconds before gently taking Dell's hands off of him.

"Mister Conagher…Sherry…Sherry didn't survive the birth. I'm so sorry…" The doctor said quietly as his brown eyes looked down at the floor.

At first, all Dell could see in his mind was white. Everything was white and empty. At first, he thought he had misheard the doctor, or that the doctor was playing a sick sort of joke on him.

"T-this is a joke, isn't it? You're just fuckin' with me, aren't you?" Dell whispered. He expected the doctor to start laughing, to admit that it _had _indeed been a joke, and that Sherry was fine and waiting to introduce their new baby to him. They would be a family of three, and they would be so happy. They would live in their house in Boston; the one that they had just moved into together.

"I'm not joking, Mister Conagher. There was a blood vessel that burst in her brain during the delivery. I'm amazed that she held on for as long as she did. Sherry is gone, Mister Conagher. I'm so sorry for your loss." The doctor said in a tone that was steeped with sadness.

The image in his mind this time was of Sherry. She was turned away from him, her long brown hair shining and beautiful. But as soon as she turned around, her image cracked and shattered like a stone thrown through glass.

Dell _howled_. Dell _screamed_. He sank to the floor of the hospital, pounding his fists on the floor as tears fell from his eyes unrestrained. He screamed until he thought he couldn't scream anymore, and then found the strength to scream again.

He didn't even notice Helene and Emile standing there, Helene dropping her cup of coffee onto the floor.

And before he knew it, three people were crying in a place that was supposed to save lives and bring new ones into the World.

On October 26, 1971, a new Conagher was brought into the world. But on that same day, another Conagher was lost.

Sherry Conagher would never wake up from her slumber. Sherry Conagher would never see her child. Sherry Conagher would never hear herself being called "Mommy". Sherry Conagher would never see, hear, or speak ever again.

Sherry Conagher was dead.

* * *

It had taken several hours for Dell and Helene to stop crying. Emile had taken to smoking cigarette after cigarette, his hands shaking every time he went to light one up. His eyes were red, as if though he had been crying.

Dell had forgotten just why on Earth he was there. But as soon as he remembered, a fresh wave of tears hit the Texan man, and he openly sobbed with grief.

He didn't care that he was crying loudly in the middle of a hospital. He just lost his fucking _wife_. The love of his life. The Mother of his child…

His child…

Dell looked up, his eyes sore and red from sobbing, his head throbbing painfully to the point where it felt like he was going to have his head split open.

"Doc…Doc, did she have a boy…or a girl…?" Dell croaked as the doctor passed by. The doctor looked exhausted and sad.

"She had a girl, Mr. Conagher. A beautiful, healthy, baby girl. Would you like to see her?" the doctor asked, putting a hand upon Dell's shoulder.

Without another word, Dell stood up on shaking legs and allowed the doctor to lead him to where his new daughter waited for him.

The daughter who would never get to meet her Mother.

"She's in here, Mr. Conagher. Take as much time as you need." The doctor said as a nurse sat Dell down into a soft chair, another handing him a pink bundle. With uncertainty, Dell held his daughter for the first time in his life.

She was a small, red little thing with a mess of dark colored hair, no doubt the same color as her Father's hair. Her face was scrunched up, and she wiggled lightly underneath her pink blankets. She moved her fists like she didn't know what to do with them, and she made soft little cooing noises.

It was her eyes that made him want to sob again.

Her eyes were a deep shade of blue. The same as her Mother's eyes.

"H-hi, baby girl…I'm your Daddy…" Dell choked out as the baby wiggled some more, giving a small yawn.

"I promise that I'll take care of you…Jenny." Dell whispered as a tear fell onto the blanket.

Jennifer "Jenny" Conagher said nothing as her Father cried softly.


	11. Realization At a Funeral

_Author's Note: I do not own any of the "Team Fortress 2" characters or locations. This is merely for entertainment purposes, and I am not looking to profit off of this piece of fiction. All characters/locations belong to Valve. Sherry belongs to me._

_

* * *

_The funeral a week days later was very quiet as the friends and family members of Sherry gathered into the funeral parlor. As to be expected, they all cried when they lay their eyes upon Sherry's silent form.

Sherry herself was beautiful; her hair had been freshly washed, her face done-up in make-up, giving her the appearance that she was merely sleeping. A small, serene smile was on her face, and she looked at peace. She wore clothes of pure white, a small bouquet of pink and white flowers clasped in her hands.

Much to Dell's amazement, the entire BLU Team had shown up to Sherry's funeral. They all dressed in their best and had placed blue roses upon her body.

The most somber of them all, however, were Sherry's brothers and Mother. Dell couldn't blame them; Sherry was Helene's only daughter and she was their only sister. Scott seemed to be the most shaken; he had stopped crying, but his whole body convulsed with silent and dry sobs.

Emile had spent a long time with Sherry before she was put into her casket and rolled into the parlor. He had spent well over twelve hours with her, whispering to her.

One of the things that he had whispered was this:

"_Sherry…I…I don't know how to say this, exactly, but…it wasn't your fault that your Father never came to see you. It was mine. When you were sixteen, the night after you met me for the first time…I went into your room and…I found out about William. I thought that he would only get in the way, but in reality…I was afraid that you would see me as nothing more than the "mysterious man" that was seeing your Mother. Sherry…_

…_I killed William. I killed him __**and **__his fiancé. It was never your fault at all…It was all my doing, and…I hope that someday, when we meet again…You'll forgive me and call me, "Father". _

_Je suis tellement désolé…" _

That's when he started to cry great, racking tears of grief at the words Sherry would never hear.

* * *

Dell could feel his heart sinking greatly when Sherry was finally buried in the cemetery. She had stated in her will that she wanted to be buried with her grandparents. That way, once Helene and the rest of her family met their time, they would be buried alongside her.

Scott was silent during the speaking of Sherry's eulogy, spoken by Emile.

"My wife and I could never have asked for a more wonderful daughter. Everything she did made us proud. She was perfect in her studies, and she was a wonderful and beautiful artist. She painted beautiful pieces that told not only stories, but taught us humanity and beauty. Sherry…She was always so happy, so full of life. I only met her when she was 16; but I knew that she was a girl who was blossoming into a beautiful woman. When she was 20, she found her true love. Together, they swore before God that they would love each other until death did them part. But I know that even now, she still loves him and her daughter. Sherry…We all love you, and we will all miss you. But you will always be in our minds. We will speak to you and laugh with you. We will call you by your familiar name. Your Mother and I are so proud of you. You will always be in our hearts." Emile said, tears falling from his eyes and onto the wet grass. Helene broke out sobbing, throwing herself into Emile's arms.

It broke Dell's heart to see all eight of Sherry's brothers weeping loudly; Scott especially. The poor boy was trying his hardest to not shed a tear, but had failed miserably. He cried the loudest out of them all, and he only got louder when Dell wrapped an arm around his shoulders, his other holding Jenny.

The only remaining scrap that he had of his beautiful Sherry was a lock of her beautiful, chocolate brown hair, carefully tied with a white lace ribbon.

…And then the thought occurred to him. It occurred to him so quickly; his grief was lifted just slightly.

He would bring Sherry back, even if it meant travelling down the same path of madness as Radigan Conagher.


	12. The Secret in the Basement

_Author's Note: I do not own any of the "Team Fortress 2" characters or locations. This is merely for entertainment purposes, and I am not looking to profit off of this piece of fiction. All characters/locations belong to Valve. Sherry and Jenny belong to me._

_

* * *

_**November 16th, 1976**

Jennifer, "Jenny" Sherry Conagher couldn't stand waiting! Here she was, five years old and waiting for her Daddy to come home!

"Grand-père, when will Daddy be home?" Jenny asked as she swung her legs back and forth in an impatient manner. Her hair was dark and hardly manageable, her eyes bright and blue. Emile looked up at her as he neatly spread peanut butter onto some celery stalk; no doubt, she inherited this taste from her late Mother; she had liked the same exact thing.

"He will be here when he gets here, petite princesse. Have patience." Emile said, giving her a small smile as he put exactly four raisins onto the peanut butter celery sticks. Although she had many traits of her Mother, she had her fair share of her Father's traits; namely, his intelligence.

Thankfully, she didn't speak in that accent of his…At least not _yet_. Emile had to wonder if Dell would be surprised to find out that while he was away, his daughter had learned some French words.

Jenny was such a sweet little girl; not a mean bone in her body. However, this made her prone to crying at the smallest things. She was Emile and Helene's precious grand-daughter; whenever Dell was away with Team Fortress, she would stay at their house, sleeping in what used to be her Mother's room. She got along quite well with her grandparents.

Scott, on the other hand…

"Hello, Uncle Scott!" Jenny chirped from her spot on the windowsill as Scott passed by. Scott paused for a moment before a wide and broad smile spread upon his face, instantly walking over to Jenny and scooping her up into his arms.

"Hey, kiddo! How ya been, huh? I only saw ya about ten minutes ago!" Scott said, planting kisses onto Jenny's cheek. Jenny, in turn, giggled.

Emile found this scene somewhat odd; at first, Scott had _hated _Jenny, since he was under the impression that Jenny was the one who caused Sherry's untimely demise. But any and all feelings of hatred left after several months, and he had grown extremely fond of Jenny.

"I'm fine! Daddy's coming home today!" Jenny said, wrapping her arms around Scott's neck. Scott grew quiet, and his smile faded slightly. Emile understood; once Dell came back from Team Fortress for three months, he and Jenny would go back to their own house until it was time for him to return to the Team.

In other words, Scott would miss Jenny terribly.

"Hey, that's cool! Did you send him a thank-you letter in the mail when he sent your birthday present to you?" Scott asked, a touch of sadness in his voice. Jenny didn't seem to notice (and it was for the best) but she did answer Scott as she nuzzled his shoulder.

"Yes, Uncle Scott. I did." Jenny answered. She suddenly leaped down from Scott's arms as she heard the tell-tale sound of a car door slamming.

"He's here! Daddy's back!" Jenny squealed as she ran to the front door. Helene intercepted the child before she could run out into the chilly autumn air.

"Coat, young lady! Then you can see your Daddy!" Helene laughed as Jenny struggled into her coat. Within seconds, she had it on and was bolting out the front door, jumping right into Dell Conagher's arms.

"Daddy!" Jenny chirped as Dell wrapped his strong arms around Jenny. Jenny buried her face into his shoulder and wept loudly as Dell pat her on her back.

"I'm home, baby girl. Don't cry. Daddy loves ya very much." Dell said as he carried the squalling child into the house, keeping his belongings in the back of his pick-up truck.

"Why are ya cryin', baby girl?" Dell laughed as he set Jenny down onto the floor, stooping to her level.

"I-I-I just m-m-m-missed yoooooou!" Jenny sobbed out, snot running from her nose as her little face turned red. With a small chuckle, Dell produced a blue handkerchief, wiping the snot off of her nose.

"Blow, baby girl." Dell instructed as he held the cloth in front of her nose. Jenny did as she was instructed, and Dell promptly tucked the soiled handkerchief back into his pocket. He couldn't help but smile when he saw Emile grimace at the sight.

"Did she behave for you?" He asked as he once more picked Jenny up, Jenny clinging to him tightly as if he was an anchor in a wind storm.

"As always! She's so well behaved, Dell. She didn't cause any trouble at all!" Helene said as she handed Dell a small suitcase with Jenny's belongings.

"Can you say bye, baby girl?" Dell said to Jenny. She had suddenly become shy, for she hid her face into his neck, not looking at Emile, Helene, or Scott.

"Well, I guess we'll be headin' home now. I'll call ya tomorrow!" Dell said as he lifted the suitcase up, Scott opening the door.

"See ya later, Jen! Draw lots of pictures for me, 'kay?" Scott said as he ruffled Jenny's already messy hair. Jenny said nothing as she clung tighter to Dell.

* * *

Once he was sure that Jenny was preoccupied with the latest episode of "Lassie", Dell proceeded to wander down into his basement. The usual smells of metal, wood, rubber, and all sorts of other mechanical objects greeted him, but he wasn't here to fiddle around with any of them.

He was making his way into the very secret part of his basement. Nobody knew of its existence; not even Jenny. It was a secret part that Dell kept only to himself.

He kept it to himself because what was contained within it wasn't quite complete yet.

With a quick glance behind him, Dell unlocked the heavy steel door, shutting it behind him as he walked inside.

The room was dark, save for the glowing tank in the center of the room. Dell wandered over to the tank, placing a hand upon it, a small and sad smile upon his face.

"I promise you, Jenny; you'll never miss me again once your Mama is done." Dell whispered as he pressed his face to the cool glass surface.

The woman inside had very long, chocolate brown hair, the hair occasionally moving inside with passing bubbles. Her eyes were closed, but if they were opened, they would be a most brilliant blue.

There was only one way to tell who this woman was inside of the tank. You would have to look at the nameplate, the name written in Dell's neat cursive.

"_Sherry Conagher"_.


End file.
